末期|まっきmakki[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounlast years; closing years; last days; closing days; end; last stage; final stages; terminal stage (of a disease)
   その物語ものがたりの舞台ぶたいは明治めいじ末期まっきの日本にっぽんである。↗

   The setting of the story is Japan in the late Meiji period.

• Synonym終わりおわりNeutralThe most general word for an end or coming to an end, usable in almost any context. 「末期」 narrows this to the final stage of an era, an illness, and the like.
• Synonym終末しゅうまつWrittenWritten/formal prose for the end of events or works; it can also mean the end of the world. 「末期」 focuses on the final stretch of a period.
• Synonym末すえNeutralThe end or tip of something; typical for the end of a month or year. 「末期」 instead focuses on stages of an era or an illness.
• Synonym終盤しゅうばんNeutralThe final stage of a game or contest, or of an election. 「末期」 mostly refers to eras or illnesses rather than matches.
• SynonymラストNeutralA loanword for last or the end, as in 「ラストシーン」. 「末期」 instead refers to a stage of a period.
• Synonym仕舞いしまいNeutralAn ending or wrapping-up, as in closing a shop (「店じまい」). 「末期」 instead focuses on the last stage of an era or an illness.
• Synonym末つ方すえつかたWrittenAn archaic word for the end of a period, with an old-fashioned flavor. In modern Japanese 「末期」 is the normal choice.
• Synonym終期しゅうきWrittenWritten/formal prose for the closing period of something, leaning legal, as in the point when a legal act's effect lapses. 「末期」 is the more common choice.
• RelatedおしまいCasualColloquial for being finished or done for, as in 「今日はおしまい」. 「末期」 instead points to the final stretch of a period such as an era or an illness.
• Related最後さいごNeutralThe last one or final point in a sequence; it stresses order. 「末期」 instead marks the closing phase of a period of time, such as an era or an illness.
• Related終局しゅうきょくWrittenWritten/formal prose for the final outcome of a matter, or the end of a go or shogi game. 「末期」 instead marks the final stretch of a period.
• Related最終さいしゅうNeutralFinal or last, as in the last train or bus of the day. 「末期」 instead focuses on the final stage of a period such as an era or an illness.
• Related結末けつまつNeutralThe ending or outcome of a story or event. 「末期」 instead marks a stage of a period, not how something turns out.
• Related閉幕へいまくWrittenWritten/formal prose for the closing of a conference or performance. 「末期」 instead focuses on the final stretch of a period.
• Related終焉しゅうえんWrittenWritten/formal prose with a literary flavor for the actual end of a life or an era. 「末期」 is more matter-of-fact and names the final stage leading up to it.
• Related終点しゅうてんNeutralThe terminus or last stop of a line, as in 「終点駅」. 「末期」 instead refers to the final stage in time.
• Related末尾まつびWrittenWritten/formal prose for the end of a text, list, or similar. 「末期」 instead refers to stages of an era or an illness.
• Related終幕しゅうまくWrittenWritten/formal prose for the final act of a play or the close of an event. 「末期」 instead focuses on periods of time.
• RelatedエンドNeutralA loanword for an ending, often seen in the end titles of a film. 「末期」 instead focuses on periods of time.
• RelatedフィニッシュNeutralA loanword for finishing something, or a gymnastics landing. 「末期」 instead focuses on periods of time.
• RelatedラストNeutralA loanword for last or the end, as in 「ラストシーン」. 「末期」 instead refers to a stage of a period.
• Related終結しゅうけつWrittenWritten/formal prose for the end of a war or event. 「末期」 instead marks the stage leading up to an end.
• Related仕舞いしまいNeutralAn ending or wrapping-up, as in closing a shop (「店じまい」). 「末期」 instead focuses on the last stage of an era or an illness.
• Related結尾けつびWrittenWritten/formal prose for an ending, but rare; 「末尾」 is the usual word for the end of a text.
• Antonym初期しょきNeutralThe early stage or early years; the direct opposite of 「末期」 as the final stage of an era or an illness.
• Antonym早期そうきNeutralThe early stage of something, the opposite of late-stage 「末期」, as in 「早期発見」.

Use 「末期」 for the final stage of an era or an illness, as in 「江戸末期」 and 「末期がん」. For ends in general, say 「終わり」; for the closing stage of a game or election, 「終盤」; for how a story or event turns out, 「結末」. The opposites, early stages, are 「初期」 and 「早期」. Besides 「終盤」, the legal 「終期」 and archaic 「末つ方」 also name a closing phase; most other words name other kinds of ends: last trains and termini (「最終」「終点」), ends of texts (「末尾」), closings of performances (「閉幕」「終幕」), the end of a life or era (「終焉」).

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 終おわりに近ちかい時期じき。最終さいしゅうの段階だんかい。
2. 一生いっしょうの終おわりの時期じき。最期さいご。